Improvement in electrical lamps



E. BRGIN.

Electrical Lamps.

`-haoQ'z-oegos's. Patented Jul-y 16, 187s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE,

EMIL BRGIN, OF BASLE", SIVITZERLAXD.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRICAL LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,083, dated July16,1578; application filed April 16, 1878.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL BRGIN, of Basle, in the Republic ofSwitzerland, have invented an Improvement in Electric Lamps 5 and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of electric lamps in which light isproduced by the combustion of carbons in the electric circuit.

The invention has for its object the automatic adjustment of the carbonsto keep them at the proper distance apart for the production of a lightof a maximum intensity.

Figure l in the drawing is a side` elevation of an electric lampconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is another elevationof the same, viewed at right angles from lthe direction in which thelamp is seen in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section on the line a: E in Fig. l.Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a modification of one part ofthemachine.

A is a base or pedestal, upon which all the parts ofthe lamp aresupported, and to which they are. attached. B and B' are hollow posts,connected at their upper ends by a crosspiece, C. In each of said posts,in the sides of the saine which face each other, is a vertical slot, d,Fig. 3. In said hollow posts play vertically the bars E E'. In the topof the barE is a carbon-holder, F, and screw for holding one of thecarbons, G. To an arm, H, extending from the bar E', is attached aninverted socket or carbon-holder, F', and a screw for holding the othercarbon, G'. Through the vertical slot d in the hollow post B extendsfrom the bar E a pin, screw, or projection, t', which slides verticallyin the slot d when the said bar Emoves up and down in said hollow post.Similarly from the bar E' extends a pin, screw, or projection, t',through the vertical slot in the inner side of the hollow post B', saidprojection sliding vertically in said slot as the bar E' moves up ordown in said hollow post. Attached to and projecting from the hollowpost B' extends toward the hollow post B the arms or brackets k k',containing bearings for the grooved sheaves l t' l".

To the lower part of the pillar B' are pivoted, at one end, bars mm',preferably of brass. To the other ends of said bars -m m' is pivoted thearmature N. Said bars m m' are so pivoted to said post B' and armature Nthat when said armature is lifted vertically it moves (always in avertical position) away from the post B', and vice versa-that is to say,when the said armature moves away from said post it is also loweredvertically.

The system of bars m m' and the attached armature are actuated in adownward and rearward direction by the spring O, and the said armatureis actuated in a forward and upward direction by an electro-magnet, P P,the coils of which form part of the circuit through which the electriccurrent reaches the carbons.

To the magnetP P is attached an adjustingscrew, P', which works in afixed bearing in or on the base or pedestal A, and by which the relationof distance between the said magnet and the armature N may be adjustedfor dierent strengths of current, in order that the weight of the saidmagnet, or the weight of the said magnet and the strength of the springO acting together, may be nicely balanced or adjusted to the strength ofthe circuit to produce the effect herein described.

It will be seen that the peculiar combination of the armature with thebars m m' prevents the ordinary attachment of an adjusting-screw to thearmature for the purpose of regulating the distance of the armature fromthe magnet; and to secure such adjustability, I attach such screw to themagnet itself instead of the armature.

From the upper part of the armature N rises a support, Q, which hasformed therein bear-- ings for the shaft It. Upon the shaft t areattached pulleys s and s', which turn with said shaft. Attached to thepulleys, which has half the diameter of the pulley s', is a cord orchain, T, which winds upon said pulley, then passes over the sheave l',and, passing' downward, is attached to the projection t' on the bar E.Attached to the pulley s' is a cord or chain, T', which passes under thesheave Z", then over the sheave l, then downward to the projection onthe bar E'. To the shaft B is also attached a wheel, V, which may have aperimeter milled or toothed to engage the head of a spring, w, attachedto the under side of the cross-piece C; or, instead of acting like aspring-pawl, the spring w may act like a friction-brake, as

shown in Fig. 4, in which case the periphery of the wheelVis notmilled,toothed, or notched, but is preferably left smooth.

The bracket or arm 7c is fitted to slide on the post B', and is providedwith an adjustingscrew, Y, having a fixed bearing in the crosspiece. C,by which arrangement the light may be adjusted in proper relation withthe focus of a lens or reflector.

The operation of the lamp is as follows: The wheel V is first turned inthe direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in the drawing,which causes the carbon socket or holder F' to move upward and thesocketor holder F to move downward. Vhen the said carbon-holders F F'are thus separated the carbons are placed in the holders and secured bythe screws in the usual manner. The wheel V being then allowed to turnfreely, the bar E' (which, being lon ger, is heavier th an the bar E)moves down by its own gravity, and, turning the wheel V by the cord orchain T and the pulley s', winds the cord T on the pulley s, and raisesat the same time the carbonholder F till the carbons meet. The electriccurrent is then connected with the lamp, whereupon the magnet P Pattracts the armature N, which, by the radial movement of the arms m m',is caused to move upward, carrying with it the wheel V. The upwardmovement of the wheel V brings its upper edge into engagement with thespring w, which prevents said wheel from turning on its shaft It. By thesaid movement of the wheel V the distance from R to l' is shortened,which permits the bar E and the carbon Gr to descend a little,separating the carbons sufficiently to produce an intense light. y

As the carbons get shorter their distance asunder increases, theresistance to the passage of the current increases, the power of themagnet P P is lessened, and the power of the spring O becomes superiorto that of the magnet. The armature N is then pulled away from themagnet, and, descending, carries the Wheel V downward with it, freeingsaid wheel from the retaining-spring w. When this takes place the bar E'falls a little, and the bar E rises a little, bringing the carbonsnearer together again.

By this means the lamp becomes self-adjusting, the spring O pulling awaythe armature N whenever the resistance to the current becomes too great,and the magnet P P attracting the armature whenever t-he current passeswith sufficient freedom through the circuit; and at each time the saidspring draws away the said armature the carbons are caused to approacheach other sufficiently to compensate for their consumption.

The lamp, as described, is intended for use in connection with a lens orreilector, which requires the light to be maintained at a prescribedaltitude, and, as the carbon on the positive pole burns away about twiceas fast as the other, it requires to be moved twice as much as thenegative carbon. This is accomplished by making the diameter-.the

pulley s twice the diameter of the pulley s,

which, the upper carbon G' being positive, gives its holder F' twice asmuch movement as that given to the negative carbon-holder F; but whenthe precise altitude of the light is a matter of no importance, saidlight not being required to be adjusted in relation with a focus of alens or of a reflector, I may use, instead of the sliding bar E', animmovable upright bar, and actuate the wheel V and pulley s by means ofa spring around the shaft It, to raise the sliding bar E, and tocompensate for the combustion of the carbons. In such case the pulleysand cord or chain for transmitting motion to the said shaft R from thebar E will be unnecessary.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- I. In an electric lamp, the combinationof an electro-magnet, P P, armature N, parallel bars m m', pivoted tothe said armature, and the pulley-support Q, attached to said armature,whereby, when the said armature is pulled laterally by the said magnet,the said armature and pulley-support are also lifted by the said magnet,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the magnet P P, the armature N, and the bars mm', constructed and operating substantially as described, of theadjusting-screw P', attached to the said magnet, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the vertically-moving bars E Il', carryingcarbon-holders, of a magnet, P P, an armature, N, bars m m', pivoted atone end to said armature and at the other end to a suitable support, thesprin g O, wheel V, and, pulleys s s', connected with the armature by asupport, Q, cords or chains T T', and sheaves l l' l", all constructedand operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

EMIL BURGIN.

IVitnesses:

RAOUL Picrnr, TH. TURRETTINI.

